The present invention relates to an information recording medium, the contents of which can be played back by a plurality of types of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors. The present invention also relates to an information recording method and apparatus for recording information on such information recording medium. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an information playback method and apparatus for playing back information recorded on such information recording medium.
In recent years, optical discs as information recording media have been extensively studied and developed. Optical discs include a CD (Compact disc) that has prevailed, and a DVD (Digital Video disc) that has a large storage size. The DVD includes a DVD-Video that can record/play back video information. The formats of information recorded on information recording media such as a CD, DVD, and the like are specified by standards described in standard books. The manufacturers of information recording media record information formatted according to the standards on information recording media.
Information recording/playback apparatuses that record information on information recording media and play back information recorded on the information recording media are manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers. However, as described above, since information is recorded on the information recording medium according to the standards, similar playback results are obtained irrespective of the manufacturers of information recording/playback apparatuses. That is, information recording/playback apparatuses can neither differentiate functions nor provide their originality. As a result, the principle of competition of the manufacturers does not work in term of functions, and technical development in the DVD-Video market may be disturbed.
Since information is recorded on an information recording medium according to fixed standards, functions cannot be quickly expanded in correspondence with advances of technologies. That is, in order to add a new function to an information recording medium, the standards must be upgraded in correspondence with the new function to be added. However, since much time is required for upgrading the standards, it is hard to add new functions in quick response to the advances of technologies.
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems, and has as its object to provide the following information recording medium, information recording method and apparatus, and information playback method and apparatus:
(1) an information recording medium which allows to achieve differentiation and originality of functions in units of models of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors;
(2) an information recording method which records information on an information recording medium to be able to achieve differentiation and originality of functions in units of models of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors;
(3) an information recording apparatus which records information on an information recording medium to be able to achieve differentiation and originality of functions in units of models of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors;
(4) an information playback method which plays back information from an information recording medium on which information is recorded to be able to achieve differentiation and originality of functions in units of models of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors;
(5) an information playback apparatus which plays back information from an information recording medium on which information is recorded to be able to achieve differentiation and originality of functions in units of models of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors;
(6) an information recording medium which has a data structure with high expandability of functions;
(7) an information recording method which records a data structure with high expandability of functions on an information recording medium;
(8) an information recording apparatus which records a data structure with high expandability of functions on an information recording medium;
(9) an information playback method which plays back information from an information recording medium on which a data structure with high expandability of functions on an information recording medium is recorded; and
(10) an information playback apparatus which plays back information from an information recording medium on which a data structure with high expandability of functions on an information recording medium is recorded.
An information recording medium according to the present invention comprises a first area which records common information which can be commonly played back by a plurality of types of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors and complies with common standards, a second area which records specific information which can be played back by only an information playback apparatus of a specific type provided by a specific manufacturer or distributor, and a third area which records link information indicating a link between the common information and specific information.
An information recording method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: recording common information which can be commonly played back by a plurality of types of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors and complies with common standards; recording specific information which can be played back by only an information playback apparatus of a specific type provided by a specific manufacturer or distributor; and recording link information indicating a link between the common information and specific information.
An information recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises recording means for recording common information which can be commonly played back by a plurality of types of information playback apparatuses provided by different manufacturers or distributors and complies with common standards, recording specific information which can be played back by only an information playback apparatus of a specific type provided by a specific manufacturer or distributor, and recording link information indicating a link between the common information and specific information.
An information playback method according to the present invention comprises the step of: comparing ID information stored in an information playback apparatus side of a specific type provided by a specific manufacturer or distributor, and ID information played back from an information recording medium, and playing back specific information, which is recorded on the information recording medium and can be played back by only the information playback apparatus of the specific type, on the condition that the two pieces of ID information match each other.
An information playback apparatus according to the present invention comprises ID information storage means for storing ID information, and playback means for comparing the ID information stored in the storage means and ID information played back from an information recording medium, and playing back specific information, which is recorded on the information recording medium and can be played back by only an information playback apparatus of a specific type, on the condition that the two pieces of ID information match each other.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.